Upon exiting the Hogwarts Express, Harry took a moment to admire the beautiful Scottish countryside and breathe in the fresh mountain air. The sun was setting rapidly outside, but he was still able to appreciate the pure tranquillity of his surroundings. It was much akin to being in a dream. A loud cry snapped him from his temporary lull in concentration.

"Firs' years, o'er here!"

Harry followed the voice, falling in step with Draco, who was occupied with sneering at the titanic form of Rubeus Hagrid. The huge man led them towards the edge of a great lake, its water as black as sackcloth. A myriad of little boats bobbed in the water near the shore. Harry looked up, and saw it. The great stone castle, it appeared to be as old as time itself. He knew better, of course, but the simile seemed fitting. He could feel the pure magic radiating from the structure. Everything became clear to him at that moment. Despite all of the bellyaching and wheedling that he had done in a futile effort to avoid coming, this was where he truly belonged.

Harry Potter had arrived at Hogwarts.

Chapter Five: Divergent Paths – Beginning the Odyssey

Disclaimer: If you've seen it before, it belongs to J.K. Rowling. Otherwise, it's mine. Naturally, I'm making no money off this. Am I the only one that finds these things to be extremely repetitive and pointless?


After a brief moment of staring reverently at the magnificent castle, Harry turned his attention to the boats with a frown. He certainly wasn't going to travel across that squalid lake in one of these rickety launches. Harry turned to Draco.

"These boats are positively filthy. They can't honestly expect the likes of us to use them."

The young aristocrat turned with a smirk.

"I'm inclined to agree, but the only alternative is swimming. After you, Potter."

"I don't even know how to swim, not that I'd ever expose these wonderful silks to such dingy water. I have a better idea."

Harry walked over to the near edge of the platoon of boats and drew out his bamboo wand. In his mind's eye, he formed a vision of the great pontoon boats in which he and his grandmother used to ride around the large pond behind the estate. He smiled at the memory of accidentally pushing Kim in once. Her hair was simply beautiful when wet, reflecting even more sunlight that usual. His magic responded to his wish as the small launch transfigured into a large and comfortable paddle boat. Draco was every bit as visibly stupefied by the advanced spellwork as the rest of the ickle firsties. Hagrid just blinked in surprise. Almost in unison, the students began exclaiming loudly at the sight. Harry flashed Draco a goofy grin.

"After you, Malfoy."

"Merlin, Harry. That was bloody amazing. Father was right about you. You really are going to surpass Dumbledore."

Harry smiled, but then grimaced as he saw an unwelcome head of red hair starting towards his location. He had no desire to get reacquainted with Roland Weasel.

"At least in terms of fashion, I'm sure. Now let's climb aboard."

Both boys climbed aboard the pontoon, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. The two young aristocrats sat down on the frontal of a pair of cushioned benches located in the center of the craft. Roland tried to follow them, but one of the two apes shoved him off of the entrance ramp onto the muddy bank. Draco looked down with an approving sneer.

"Serves him right, bloody Weasley. Thinking he's good enough to associate with us."

Harry nodded his agreement, rearranging his cape so that he wouldn't be sitting on his prized accessory garment. Roland glared daggers up at Malfoy and then stormed off towards another boat. At least now Harry knew the family's correct surname.

"They are a rather annoying family, indeed. You ought to see their youngest. A right homely little brat and I had to pass an entire birthday dealing with her making eyes at me and blushing. They must not have much money, given how the whole pack of them stared around my grandmother's estate in awe. It leads me to wonder how the parents manage to support such a litter."

Draco pulled a disgusted face, gray eyes shining with amusement.

"The very thought of a proper wizard like you mixing with one of them is revolting. And you're absolutely right. The Weasleys are the worst sort of blood traitor filth. They live in some hovel, according to father. But speaking of mixing with the wrong sort, I have a bit of a bone to pick with you. You really shouldn't be associating with the likes of that chink girl, Potter. Their kind isn't like us, and it'll lead to nothing but trouble. And then there's that bloody Prefect. I've never heard of a Clearwater family..."

Harry somehow knew exactly where this was going. His temper was already raging from hearing Draco insult Cho and he certainly didn't want to listen to any more anti-Muggle nonsense. He interrupted the pale boy, emerald eyes blazing.

"That's enough, Draco. First of all, that "chink girl" has a name. Cho's been bullied quite enough around here already from what I've gathered, and I would highly recommend that you not add to it or else you'll be staring down my wand. And just don't finish that sentence about Penny. She's been nothing but polite to you."

Draco blinked, incredulous that Harry would actually threaten him. Naturally, he wasn't going to push the issue any further, out of regard for both his own health and his father's orders. All he could do was swallow his venom and nod.

"Fine, Potter. Have it your way. You'll see sense sooner or later. And I won't let you off with anything less than a kowtow when you do."

A simpering female voice sounded from the bank below, just as the frontal line of ships was starting to depart.

"Drakie, tell Crabbe and Goyle to let us up there. We don't want to ride in those filthy boats either."

Draco rolled his eyes and looked to Harry.

"Some friends of mine want to sit here. Do you mind?"

Harry did mind, actually, but agreed out of a desire to make amends for their brief spat.

"That'll be fine, I suppose. They can't be too bad if they're friends of yours."

"All right. Let them up, you two."

Crabbe and Goyle moved aside with stereo grunts, allowing four other incoming students onto the pontoon. Harry noted that three of them were girls. Two of them were quite attractive for their age and the third was not very much so. The only male of the quartet sat on the bench behind Harry and Draco while the girl that looked much like a pug sidled into the platinum-haired boy's side.

"Thank you so much for inviting us, Drakie. This is so much better than the other boats. Now introduce us to your other friend."

"Of course, how rude of me. This is Harry Potter. I already owled you all about us becoming friends at Diagon Alley. He's already lord of his estate and you've seen how good he is with his wand. Harry, these four are Pansy, Blaise, Daphne and Theodore."

Pansy Parkinson was the simpering girl attached to Draco. She had hard features, short dark brown hair and the aforementioned pronounced pug nose. Harry greeted her politely, doing his best to hide the instantaneous dislike that he had taken to her.

Blaise Zabini was a much more welcome acquaintance. She had much softer features than Pansy, accentuated by soft green eyes and light brown hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. She spoke with a pronounced Italian accent and seemed to be quite well-endowed, having curves that easily rivaled those of many girls several years her senior. She reminded Harry quite a bit of Alyssa. Blaise sat down next to Harry on the far edge of the bench and leaned up against him.

Daphne Greengrass was tall and statuesque, and looked in many respects like a younger Narcissa Malfoy. Her school robes were cut provocatively short and the slits exposed her thighs. She had dirty blonde hair and deep cerulean eyes. As there was no more room on the front bench, she simply plopped comfortably down on Harry's lap and wrapped herself in his cape. Already blushing, he went crimson when Daphne rested her head on his shoulder and crooned into his ear.

"This cape is gorgeous, Potter. You have wonderful taste in clothes."

Harry felt quite gratified by that remark and shyly countered with one of his own. He could see Draco flashing him a knowing grin out of the corner of his eyes. Several people in the boats below stared up at the scene and glowered. He vaguely noted that they were now moving across the lake towards the castle.

"Thank you...though I daresay you make the better accessory."

Daphne shifted her position and looked into his eyes with a teasing smile.

"I'm very functional as well. I'll just have to treat you to a private exhibition sometime, if you like."

Harry blinked slowly, having never been flirted with so openly before. Even Alyssa had always kept her remarks somewhat veiled, to say nothing of his other girls. He didn't know how to respond to Daphne at all. Blaise took away the need by making a comment of her own, moving in much closer in the process.

"Draco tells us that you beat up the old coot. Please recount the story for us."

"Well, if you insist..."

Harry proceeded to tell his own embellished tale of his altercation with Dumbledore. According to his version, he had stood down the old man in a formal duel in defense of his grandmother's honor and emerged victorious. Though both girls surely knew that he wasn't telling an accurate story, they played along nonetheless. As he spoke, they both complimented his bravery and skill to no end and seemed to hang onto his every word. Harry reveled in being at the center of attention and became much less nervous around the pair. Soon enough they had arrived at the far edge of the lake. Draco stood up first and casually shrugged Parkinson off of his arm, looking over at Harry.

"Seems like you're having a time of it, Harry. Blaise and Daph seem to have taken quite a liking to you. See, I told you that Slytherin was the place for you."

Harry found it hard to disagree as Daphne extricated herself from Harry's cape and both girls gently pulled him upright. The group departed from the pontoon and pushed their way to the front of the crowd of first years courtesy of Crabbe and Goyle. A quiet and scrawny boy that Harry recalled being introduced as Theodore Nott brought up the rear. Daphne and Blaise rested their heads upon his shoulders as Hagrid came up to the front and pounded on the huge castle door three times with his meaty fist. It opened nearly immediately, revealing Professor McGonagall waiting on the other side. Hagrid nodded to the stern witch with a smile.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

McGonagall returned the gesture, pulling the door open the rest of the way.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take it from here."

"Righ', but there's summat I want ter show yeh after the feast."

The bearded colossus glanced over to Harry with a smile as he spoke. McGonagall followed his eyes and pursed her lips disapprovingly at the sight that greeted her. Harry stood smugly next to Lucius Malfoy's son with two young girls attached sycophantically to his arms. He looked every bit the pampered Slytherin prince. He was dressed in expensive robes and wore an ostentatious blue cape. She turned her gaze back onto Hagrid before the boy noticed her staring.

"Very well then. I shall meet you back here once the Sorting Ceremony has concluded."

Hagrid strolled into the castle as casually as a man his size possibly could. McGonagall proceeded to lead them into a narrow entrance hall and welcome the new students to Hogwarts, describing the four houses as well as the points system. All of this was common knowledge for Harry and his pureblooded companions. He could hear frenzied chatter from the adjoining room, where the rest of the school was obviously assembled. The scene was far too noisy for his tastes, and he knew that mealtimes at Hogwarts were going to be less than enjoyable. Along with most of the other newcomers, he flinched when a whole gaggle of ghosts came flowing out of the far wall and began floating over towards them. One of them was a fat apparition dressed in a Catholic monk's smock. He stopped in front of Draco.

"My word, new students! Hope you see you in Hufflepuff! It was my house, you know!"

Draco snorted disdainfully, but the Fat Friar didn't seem to notice as he headed off towards the Great Hall. Another ghost that appeared to be some aristocrat with silvery blood flowing down his front came and looked appraisingly at both young wizards before nodding approvingly and following the other. McGonagall instructed them to wait as she went to prepare things in the other room. The old witch sent Harry another pointed look as she left. He turned to Draco once she was out of earshot.

"She really doesn't seem to like me very much. I suppose she took my shopping with your family personally."

Draco shook his head before responding in a hushed tone.

"You attacked the headmaster, Harry. Father says that Professor McGonagall practically worships that old fool. It's no wonder she can't stand you now."

Harry doubted the validity of that, knowing that his grandmother would never be close friends with somebody that loyal to Dumbledore. Harry barely noticed Roland Weasley trying to approach him and Draco from behind, but Goyle held him back. Perhaps those trolls had some value after all. Harry said nothing as Daphne complained about poor blood traitors completely lacking in decency. McGonagall returned quickly enough and led the gathering into the Great Hall. There were four long tables for each of the houses and another at the far end of the room for the staff. Harry was amazed by the floating candles and the ceiling that was charmed to look like the night sky.

Meanwhile, a bushy-haired girl with a bossy voice was authoritatively describing how everything in the room worked according to Hogwarts: A History to anybody that would listen. Harry found her gratingly irritating from the very first. She struck him as a complete know-it-all who lacked the capacity to properly appreciate the aesthetic mystique of such beautiful things as this room. He felt that overanalyzing things ruined the pure beauty of the natural world. This was even truer of such a fantastical concept as magic. Draco seemed to be of a similar opinion, as he turned and stared at the girl with derision written all over his pointed face. McGonagall placed a stool in front of the staff table, upon which rested a frayed and dirty old wizard's hat. Harry stared at the offensive headpiece in horror, whispering to Draco.

"Surely we don't have to actually wear such a thing."

"It's the sorting hat, Potter. I'm sure you'll survive putting it on for a few seconds."

"But I'll get dust in my hair, not to mention that donning something that thousands of other people have worn is beyond gross and unsanitary."

"So take a bloody bath when you get to our dormitories."

Harry smirked at yet another insinuation that he'd be placed into Slytherin. He took a moment to look around the hall at the various tables. The green and silver group seemed to be a generally unpleasant lot, sneering at the rest of the room. A lot of the girls were very attractive, though. The blue and bronze Ravenclaws were the next over. They were generally quiet and observant, though Harry spied the pretty Penny Clearwater talking animatedly to a group of her girlfriends at the near end. He also saw Cho sitting all by her lonesome at the very far edge of the table looking downcast. She seemed to feel his gaze, as she looked up and smiled at him, but averted her eyes upon seeing Daphne and Blaise glued to him. Harry felt a strong urge to pull out his wand and blast the Ravenclaw Table to splinters for ostracizing her as they did, and a twinge of guilt for upsetting her more.

The black and yellow Hufflepuffs were third from Harry's left. They looked to be a generally approachable lot with a good number of fetching girls in their own right. Still, they seemed a bit dull for his tastes. Friendly, but hardly the type he'd want to converse with.He looked over to the boisterous Gryffindors with a scowl. They were by far the loudest of the lot. Harry couldn't stand the way they carried on with no regard for proper etiquette. Preoccupied as he was with the students, he nearly jumped from fright when the sorting hat suddenly burst into song.

"Oh you may not think I'm pretty but don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black, your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat and I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head the sorting hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be.

You may belong in Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin you'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none) for I'm a thinking cap!"

Many of the students burst into applause, both returning and prospective. Harry found the idea of a talking hat fascinating, but still thought the thing to be ratty and disgusting. McGonagall told them each to approach the bench and put on the hat when called. Hannah Abbott was the first to be called. She was a cute little girl with blonde pigtails and looked to be absolutely terrified. After a moment, the hat rendered its verdict.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Draco and Pansy scoffed as the girl went off to join her applauding housemates. Susan Bones was next. Her long hair was neatly plaited but Harry loudly insisted that his was much more beautiful. Susan went to Hufflepuff as well. Ravenclaw then gained two in Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst. Lavender Brown became the first Gryffindor, followed by Millicent Bulstrode for Slytherin. The latter was beyond any doubt the ugliest girl that Harry had ever seen, with a heavy square jowl and the body of an ogre. He repressed his shudder, just in case the girl was friendly with one of Draco's clique. Crabbe and Goyle were predictably made Slytherins, with an Irish boy named Seamus Finnegan going into Gryffindor between the two.

Hermione Granger was next. Harry recognized her as the annoying girl from earlier. He imagine she'd be going into Ravenclaw given her apparent obsession with esoteric and useless knowledge. She went into Gryffindor instead, which pleased him. He saw himself as having no chance of going there and thus her placement minimized his risk of getting an ulcer as a result of having to listen to her. It was then Daphne's turn, as the tall blonde kissed Harry on the cheek and made him blush before flouncing up to the front. A brief moment passed beforethe newest Slytherin grinned back at her fellows still waiting and took a seat at the serpent table.

The ceremony proceeded uneventfully for the most part, though a girl named Su Li stumbled into Harry from behind and nearly bowled both him and Blaise over when she was called. The petite Chinese girl apologized profusely and moved on as Harry glared back at a sneering Theodore Nott, whose outstretched foot betrayed the fact that he had intentionally tripped the poor girl. The rat-faced boy just shrugged at the dandy young wizard in response, while Blaise cursed under her breath at the "filthy chink." Slytherin was starting to look slightly less attractive. Su became a Ravenclaw and sat down across from Cho, almost immediately striking up a lively conversation with the lonely girl.

Neville Longbottom was made a Gryffindor after a long deliberation. Harry recalled him as that meek boy that he had shoved off onto Dudley that one birthday. He would have taken him as a sure Hufflepuff. He was certainly as far from being a loud and impulsive Gryffindor as one could be. Draco laughed caustically when Neville took off to join his housemates with the hat still attached to his head before sheepishly turning back and placing it onto the stool. A few more students were sorted, and then...

"Malfoy, Draco."

McGonagall couldn't keep the hint of dislike out of her voice as she called Draco's name. He clapped Harry on the shoulder before departing with a wry smile.

"Don't worry, Potter. I'll save you a seat next to me."

The platinum-haired boy swaggered up the stool as if he owned the entire castle, sitting down with a satisfied smirk. Draco was the very definition of arrogance. The hat hadn't even touched down on his head when it opened its yap and declaimed...

"SLYTHERIN!"

Draco proceeded to the Slytherin Table with an aura of entitlement about him. The Malfoy heir commanded the utmost respect within the serpent house, and he was fully aware of the fact. He winked over at Harry, who was watching his antics with amusement. Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson successively joined him in Slytherin, leaving Harry and Blaise as the only remaining members of the initial entourage. A pretty pair of Indian twins were sorted into Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, respectively, and then came the main event of the evening's proceedings. McGonagall's voice was a bit misty as she spoke the words.

"Potter, Harry."

All conversation in the Great Hall died instantly and every single pair of eyes rushed toward the remaining unsorted. Harry was on cloud nine, pleased beyond words at the fact that the mere mention of his name brought the entire room to attention. Blaise kissed his other cheek and let go of his arm.

"Good luck, Potter."

Harry drew himself up and preened forward in the direction of the sorting hat. He moved with all of the pomp and majesty of a young king about to be coronated. His advance was deliberate, allowing all present to observe the wizarding world's great hero. At that moment in time, Harry Potter was the crown prince of Hogwarts Castle, and everybody in the premises from the redoubtable headmaster down to the lowliest House Elf was just another member of his court. The only noise in the entire hall was the slow beat of his dragonhide boots clicking on the stone floor. His cape splayed behind him slowly and the ruby encrusted within the Potter legacy ring glimmered in the torchlight. He reached the stool and pivoted sharply on his toes, allowing the royal blue garment to swish dramatically as he daintily sat and placed the frayed hat upon his head. Its slightly familiar voice resonated within his mind.

"So the Boy-Who-Lived has finally come to Hogwarts. A brilliant mind, loyalty beyond measure, a strong sense of chivalry and not a small amount of cunning. But at the same time, you have a natural disinclination towards study, despise toil, are far from being daring and heroic unless forced, and have no particular ambition. One could say that you belong both everywhere and nowhere. You are quite the conundrum, Lord Harry Potter."

Harry reflexively turned his gaze to the Slytherin Table, where Draco was staring at him with rapt interest, leaning forward on the table. The pale boy smiled and nodded, patting the empty space on the large bench next to him. The sorting hat's voice rang in his head once more.

"Then you would consider Slytherin. Certainly you would find acceptance within the serpent's den. You could reprise the lifestyle to which you have long been accustomed. Great power and influence would be yours, and beautiful young ladies would wait upon you hand and foot and gratify your every whim. You would be in many respects a king. And in Slytherin you would learn to command that power and wield that influence. You would forge alliances with the oldest bloodlines and control the greatest of arcane magics. Yours would be a name feared and renowned the world over. Your worst nightmare is that you will one day lose those that you hold dearest in your heart. Your grandmother, your surrogate sister and your other girls. Here you can master the power to hold onto them forever, to conquer even mortality and death. But the price will be steep. Consider these words well, young sorcerer."

Harry turned to the Ravenclaw Table, where Cho was likewise staring at him. There was a certain pleading in those soulful obsidian orbs that stirred him to the depths of his consciousness. He had resolved to protect her from further suffering, but his capacity to do so would be limited at best in Slytherin. The wise sentient headpiece had another comment to make.

"And indeed, this is the alternative. Just as that young lady needs you to look after her now, one day soon our entire world will need the same. Should you choose Ravenclaw, your path would not be as simple as in Slytherin. You would have to learn to look at those around you with your own eyes and make your choices accordingly. You would have to learn to care for yourself and survive on your own. Your natural power and intellect lend well to this road. You would not be blinded by the prejudices of your fellows. You would be free to develop wholly in your own image. For indeed, the house that you enter today marks but the starting point of your journey into the future. You are a rarity in that you are truly free to travel any road or river that you wish. No mountain is too steep and no pitfall too perilous for you, for your talents are without limit. I cannot make this decision for you. The choice is yours alone, young icon of the magical world."

Harry silently posed a question to the hat.

"And what of the other two houses?"

"You possess some Gryffindor traits, to be certain. You exhibited great courage and nobility in attacking a wizard infinitely more powerful than yourself in defense of your grandmother, and your loyalty to both her and your girls is unbreakable. In that you are also worthy of Hufflepuff. However, in neither of those two places would you ever rise to your true potential. To send you to either would be to do you and the entire world around you a great disservice, and I am unwilling to even consider doing so."

Harry nodded his acquiescence to the sorting hat's decision on the matter. He didn't envision himself in either place as well. And so it would be Slytherin or Ravenclaw. The question of which seemed to be of a moral nature. Such lofty concepts were Harry's forte, as opposed to those mundane worldly matters that he so disdained. After a moment's deliberation, he gave the hat his decision. He could almost feel the presence smile within his mind.

"Excellent, Lord Harry Potter. You have chosen correctly. But that path was fated to be yours from the start, only that you first needed to search deep within yourself in order to illuminate and embrace it. Slytherin represented for you the easy path, that fool's road of false comfort and decadence. Ravenclaw represents for you the correct path, that of purification and discovery. However, I again impress upon you that this decision represents but a single step. There are still many pitfalls that could lead you astray. The road ahead is yours to pave. Remain vigilant always, but for this night all you need do is enjoy your feast in..."

"RAVENCLAW!"

Harry frowned at the thought of purification as he rose from his seat. He was perfectly content with the person that he was now. He had no desire for power and influence, or to control dark powers and the like. He needed only to be forever happy with his girls, playing games and reading books. Slytherin would have been a comfortable fit but the future that it offered was one that he would sooner disappear than accept. And besides, Harry mused as he put down the sentient hat and began strolling towards the Ravenclaw Table, he needed to look after Cho. His greater purpose here at the moment was to nurture that beautiful spirit. The rest he would uncover in time. He regained his bearings and took a seat next to his vulnerable friend at the edge of the table before speaking in an airy voice.

"I suppose you were right, then. I am most definitely a Ravenclaw."

"I thought I was going to lose my first true friend mere hours after meeting him. You really had me scared there. That hat took forever to place you."

"We had a rather stimulating conversation. In the end, we came to the mutual agreement that Slytherin wasn't the right place for me. Malfoy owes me twenty Galleons now."

That last statement came as a result of the wager that Draco had goaded Harry into during his night at Malfoy Manor concerning his sorting. Some of the older Ravenclaw girls were glaring hatefully at Cho. Scoring the Boy-Who-Lived was a great coup for the entire raven's nest and they didn't take kindly to the house outcast monopolizing the young hero's attention. The remaining students were had being sorted, but Harry wasn't paying any mind at the moment. He methodically draped an arm around the Chinese girl and returned his new housemates' hostile looks in kind.

"Harry, you don't need to do this. I'm not worth making an enemy of the whole house."

Harry shook his head slowly. The action made his ponytail bob like a pendulum.

"Of course you are. You're my friend and that makes you more important than an entire city full of these ignoble peons. Don't ever forget it. And nobody's ever going to bully you around here again or they'll answer to me in a duel. Allow me to assure you that I am every single bit as deadly as I am beautiful."

Cho giggled at that last horribly cliché line, but was also flattered at his readiness to fight for her. Harry himself didn't believe in his declaration. He was potent with his wand, but nothing else could ever compare to his handsome good looks. He absently noticed Blaise Zabini sauntering victoriously over to the Slytherin Table, marking the end of the proceedings before the feast. The attractive young Italian blew him a flirtatious kiss over her shoulder as she took a seat next to an older girl. The headmaster then rose from his position at the center of the staff table to make his speech. Harry noted that his robes were a gorgeous shade of aquamarine, and briefly wished that he were on better terms with the old archmage so that he might ask the name of his designer.

"Welcome! Welcome to yet another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin the banquet, I have a few words to say, and they are - Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

Harry glanced over at Cho was a confused expression, to which she rolled her eyes in such a way that said that it would be better just not to ask. Albus Dumbledore was certainly an odd individual. The old man raised his hand and massive amounts of food suddenly appeared on the table, causing each to groan under the weight. Harry's eyes widened at the phenomenon, though not actually due to it. He was familiar with conjuring objects to one place from another and the sheer amount of magical power that would be required for what he had just witnessed was simply unheard of. He then fully realized how reckless he had been in picking a fight with Dumbledore that afternoon.

The food was definitely not to Harry's taste. It consisted almost entirely of heavy meats and potatoes. He had never partaken of such gross delicacies back at the estate, as they were bad for his grandmother's fragile health. He finally picked out a few pieces of grilled chicken and some fruit, along with a big goblet of pumpkin juice to drink. He caught Draco's eye not far away at his own table. The pale boy raised his goblet to Harry with a smile in a gesture meant to reassure him that they were still friends despite his not having been made a Slytherin. Daphne and Pansy smiled at him also, and Crabbe and Goyle both nodded. Harry raised his own goblet slightly in response.

As Cho was occupied with explaining some facts about Hogwarts to Su Li across the table, Harry took a long moment to peruse the staff table. Dumbledore nodded to him with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile, raising his goblet in the same fashion that Draco had. Harry again returned the gesture, happy that the old man didn't seem completely sore with him over the episode at the bank. McGonagall sent him a small smile of her own, her expression much warmer than it had been earlier when Harry was cavorting with the Slytherins. The others were a mixed bag. A dwarfish wizard on Dumbledore's other side was positively beaming at him. A greasy man with sallow skin was snarling at him for some reason. Harry assumed that he was Severus Snape, the Potions Master that Draco had talked about. He knew from Cho that Snape disliked anybody not from his own house, but that alone was no grounds for the sheer loathing present in the man's coal eyes. A wizard in a large turban just looked at Harry apprehensively. When the two locked eyes, Harry recoiled in pain as a powerful shock impacted his forehead.

"Are you okay, Harry?"

Harry met Cho's concerned gaze with a slight flinch.

"I'm fine. It was just a sudden migraine. Must be from all the excitement of being at a new school and everything."

The banquet ended quickly enough. Dumbledore rose to make a few announcements, namely that dueling in the corridors was prohibited, that the Forbidden Forest was indeed forbidden and that the third floor was off limits to all students unless they wished to die a most painful death. Harry wasn't an outdoor person and the idea of being killed obviously did little to spark his fancy, so he accepted the regulations. The evening's festivities concluded with a rendition of the Hogwarts school song. The result was an absolute affront to everything musical that Harry found to be hideous.

The assembly finally departed, with the first years being told to follow their Prefects to their respective dormitories. Harry moved quickly to the front of the Ravenclaw parade and stood close by Penny in order to avoid the throngs of people that would invariably want to chat up the Boy-Who-Lived. The journey to Ravenclaw Tower involved climbing half a dozen fights of moving staircases, much to Harry's chagrin. He was a bit short of breath by the time they arrived, unused to such physical exertion. A moving portrait of an old wanderer leaning heavily on a staff marked the entrance. One of the sixth year Prefects announced that the password required for entry was "Socrates." Harry was the first to cross the threshold and take a seat in a comfortable leather armchair in the common room.


Several hours later, he sat in the same position thumbing through a book on Roman Mythology. Harry had read many of the classics on the subject while growing up, including Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil's Aenead. The wizarding perspective on the subject was quite fascinating, though the way that they were able to explain some of the events that took place destroyed a good deal of the mystique about it. It was normally the scientific Muggle method of thinking that destroyed the aesthetics of magic and not vice versa. Harry felt that the human mind was far too ambitious for its own good. The need to dissect everything in order to understand was rather disgusting. In the end, that sentiment was perhaps the true reason for his not being placed in Slytherin.

He sighed and looked around the common room. It was completely empty for the moment, as the other students were either already asleep or getting adjusted to their new rooms. He had managed to avoid being trapped into unwanted conversation beyond basic introductions. The place was aesthetically pleasing yet very practical at the same time, a design that only a Ravenclaw mind could conceive. All of the furniture and trappings were in blue and bronze. Harry liked the color combination far better than the gauche red and gold of Gryffindor or the unimaginative yellow and black of Hufflepuff. Shelves of books lined the staircases, but none were simple textbooks. Some were simple fiction novels both from the Muggle and magical world, while others were treatises concerning various subjects of magical interest written throughout the centuries. Harry had struck a gold mine. The entire Ravenclaw library seemed to be oriented more toward pleasure reading and expanding one's mind than learning new spells and such. The portrait opened and Penny walked in. The pretty older girl quickly noticed him and came over.

"Evening, handsome. Scoot over, my feet are killing me."

There were plenty of other chairs and sofas in the common room, but Harry wasn't about to protest. He slid over again the edge of his armchair and allowed her room to have a seat. It was a snug fit, and their bodies were pressing up against one another. Not the least bothered, Penny affectionately slung an arm over his shoulders and started playing with his ponytail. She was so enticingly warm in comparison to the drafty common room. Harry rested his head against the source of her heat, unconsciously leaning into the girl's pert breasts. Penny also smelled very nice, much better than the musty old castle. She didn't seem to mind the contact and ruffled his hair. Harry looked up at her with curious emerald orbs.

"Why were you out so late, anyway?"

"Just my late rounds. Got paired up with some Hufflepuff girl. Whatcha been reading?"

"Some book on mythology. It's rather depressing to see my favorite legends reduced into mere historical facts."

Penny looked down at the book, accidentally resting her chin on Harry's temple.

"I read this one last year. An entertaining read, but don't take it to heart. The author's a rabid pureblooded supremacist that came out with the theory that the Gods were just some cult of powerful wizards that took up shack on Mount Olympus and started lording it over the Muggles. He's largely unsubstantiated. I'll find you some other books that give alternate interpretations if you're interested."

Listening to the beautiful Prefect talk convinced Harry that he had truly found his home away from home in Ravenclaw.

"I would appreciate that, thank you. This collection is even better than mine back home."

"You're very welcome. Since you mention having a library, tell me some more about yourself and I'll do the same. Neither of us seem to be all that tired now anyway."

Penny never moved her chin from its resting place. Harry felt almost as if he were being slowly absorbed into her body. It was a wonderful experience. He told her quite a bit about his home life, including the story of his being placed with abusive relatives and rescued by his grandmother, though he didn't bother implicating Dumbledore as the culprit. He described the girls and his friendship with the Malfoy family, and mentioned his love for reading and early discovery of magic. She simply listened and gave her full attention. She too had grown up with a love for books. Penny was a Muggleborn, and her father was a professor of history at Cambridge while her mother owned and operated a local bookstore. They sat up whispering until well into the morning. Running out of things to talk about, she broached one final subject.

"I'm really glad I caught you alone, Harry. There's something I wanted to tell you."

"I'm listening."

"Thank you so much for what you've done for Cho. I know you haven't even been her friend for even a full day yet, but you have done more in this short time for that poor girl's self-esteem than you could possibly ever know. She practically chatted my head off during my rounds back on the train. The Cho Chang of yesteryear would have hung her head and been too scared to even open her mouth. And the way you took up for her during the feast, even though you didn't utter a sound. The expression on your face spoke louder than words ever could."

"I don't understand why everybody dislikes her so much."

Penny sighed and looked straight into Harry's eyes.

"Deep down I think you do, Harry. The magical world is a place shrouded in secrecy and seclusion. Wizards and witches are naturally a very xenophobic and racist lot. And then Cho comes along last year as the only Oriental student in the entire school, raised mostly in her own culture and only a little bit in ours. She looked different, talked different and held different values and ideas concerning magic than the rest of the pureblooded wizards around here. They didn't understand her and so they chose to revile her instead, and the rest went along with it for the sake of conformity. I've tried to help her out in the past, but I'm several years older and have had no real authority until now. But you're the legendary Harry Potter. For you to befriend her and look out for her sends a message to everybody else. So again, thank you from the very bottom of my heart."

Harry looked very angry. He knew that Penny's analysis was very correct, having recalled both Draco and Blaise callously using racial slurs only hours ago. The thought made him boil.

"That's so horrible. Well it won't ever happen again or there'll be consequences."

"I believe you. You're a very sweet boy, handsome. Hogwarts desperately needs more people like you."

At that point, Penny leaned in and brushed her lips across the area between his upper lip and nose. She didn't wear lip gloss like Alyssa and her mouth felt like liquid fire against his fair skin. She pulled back after an instant and took aim for the area just below his mouth. In a brief moment of daring he angled his own face and captured her mouth. He instantly felt like slapping himself for his presumptuousness, fully expecting her to wrench herself away and never speak to him again. Her eyes registered complete surprise but she quickly relaxed into the kiss. Harry's confidence was bolstered and he did as his beautiful attendant had taught him, slowly massaging Penny's sides with shaky hands. She whimpered at the younger boy's touch and held him tighter. His face was as red as a beet when the moment finally ended. Penny was regarding him with a glowing smile.

"I do believe we have a misplaced Gryffindor. Awfully daring there, kiddo."

Harry averted his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Penny. I didn't mean to..."

"Don't be, I'm sure as Hell not. You're a marvelous kisser and there's no way that was your first time either. Whoever taught you did a very good job. As much as I'd like to continue, we'd better get on up to bed now. We've got the weekend before classes start, but I still don't fancy missing breakfast in the morning. Sweet dreams, handsome."

Harry nodded warily and Penny stood up and helped him back to his feet.

"Good night, Penny. I'll see you in the morning."

She turned for the stairways leading up to her dormitory but stopped after a second and turned back.

"One last thing, Harry..."

The dandy boy looked up at her inquisitively. She winked and leaned down, brushing her lips against his again.

"Be a good boy and there will most definitely be an encore."

Harry blushed as Penny disappeared up the staircase. His day had been quite enlightening. Eleven kisses constituted a new personal record. One from each of the girls at the platform, a pair from Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini during the ceremony and now three from Penny. He went to return his book to the shelf before venturing up to the first year Ravenclaw boys' dormitory. Another seven flights to climb, he thought with discontent. He loathed the idea of sharing living quarters with four other boys but nothing could be done to remedy it tonight. He would magic himself a new private room in the morning if all went according to plan.

Meanwhile, he thought about Cho and hoped she was sleeping safely in her own dormitory. Surely the other students wouldn't just let her be after a single glare from him. He wondered about the girls back at the estate, hoping that they missed him but were still in high spirits despite his absence. He envisioned Kim moving into his room, keeping his bed warm and occupied at all times. He prayed that his grandmother was still in good health. He touched his lips, still warm with Penny's sugary sweet taste, and smiled. He turned his thoughts to Draco, wondering if the pale boy had experienced a likewise eventful evening down in the Slytherin dungeons. Tomorrow would be his first day as a true Hogwarts student. He could hardly wait to see what the sunrise would bring.

(End Chapter Five)

Author's Note: Another chapter down. I think I took up quite a bit of space for just the Sorting Ceremony, but I got several new characters introduced. On that note, please do not start harping on the fact that Rowling has confirmed Blaise as male. I really and truly do not give a shit, and it will only serve to annoy me. The popular vote went to Ravenclaw in a landslide, which pleases me as that's what I'd really wanted to do with the story to begin with. A lot of people were less than enamored with Draco's assholishness on the train. That was by design. Malfoy the Younger is not going to turn into a decent person simply as a consequence of knowing Harry, as I have often seen done very badly in other stories. He will treat Harry a lot better and as a result he may not come across entirely as insufferable as he is in canon, but he will remain the same spoiled rotten little bastard at heart.

As for the Harry/Penny thing near the end, don't read too much into it. He kissed her and she was surprised by how good he was at it and was momentarily taken with him. Her logical side will quickly kick in and tell her that a relationship with an eleven year old boy is plain wrong. Nothing will really develop from it for at least a year or two, if ever, aside from a particularly close friendship. After that, well, I've never actually seen a Harry/Penelope pairing done anywhere before, so it may be tempting to try at least until she graduates. We'll see. As for Daphne and Blaise, suffice to say that they had reasons for being all over Harry beyond just liking him. Keep past developments in mind and it shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

Many of you will also notice that Ron and Hermione received little mention here. That will be a trend. Harry will not be close with either in this story, and you will not see very much of them as a result. In a similar vein, there isn't really going to be a "Trio" of any sort here either. Harry will have friends all over the place, but not in any such organization as that. Next chapter will be the last before classes start and will likely feature some more interaction between Harry and Draco, along with a chance encounter with Professor Dumbledore. Anyway, hope you all enjoy and don't forget to review. Even if you can't spare the time to compose something long, just a quick note with an opinion will do nicely and be much appreciated. Remember, more reviews equates to quicker updates.

Now, on a less upbeat note, posted several days after the chapter itself, I'm not sure when I'll be posting again. We're in the process of moving to a new house and we might quite possibly have a hurricane bearing down on us early next week (go somewhere else, Dennis). And even after that, I have a paper due at the end of the month. Taking that all into account, it seems doubtful that I'll be able to keep to my usual posting schedule for awhile. I do promise that I will try, though.